Install problem: fail ICONV Support

[Alex]

Hi,

Having installation problems with a new host.

I used the site profile exporter to pull my site from another host, and installed on a new hosting space.

I got this message at the Compatibility Check stage:

fail: ICONV Support

I pushed on regardless and it seemed to install OK.

I can get into the admin but when I go to edit a page I get this error:

Error:     Call to undefined function iconv() (line 149 of /home/fagerhu/public_html/pw/wire/core/Sanitizer.php)
This error message was shown because you are logged in as a Superuser. Error has been logged.

Anyone seen this before?

Alex

[Marty Walker]

Haven't seen that before. Who's the host?

[Alex]

Its Liquid Web (US) but via a local web developer company, so its just a stripped back c-panel. I do have access to phpMyAdmin – if it makes any difference.

Hoping someone can shed some light on it before I speak to them so I know what it means.

[Marty Walker]

I think there's a couple of peops here using LiquidWeb. Maybe they can shed the light.

[Pete]

It sounds like iconv isn't installed on the server - just need to ask Liquidweb to install it for you - that's all.

I'm guessing the person who runs the hosting has a VPS package as usually they don't have many modules installed by default.

if you want information as to what iconv actually does I'd suggest Googling it, but all the error during install is telling you is that a required module isn't installed and you need it to use ProcessWire properly.

In fact, here you go - looks like something to do with supporting different languages/characters: http://www.php.net/manual/en/intro.iconv.php

[ryan]

I've yet to come across a host that doesn't have iconv support. This one comes with PHP and the only way to remove it is to specifically disable it when you compile PHP. Sometimes when dealing with smaller hosts (or those running their own server/VPS) they disable everything they don't recognize. Since iconv is part of PHP's core distribution, it's not something a host should disable unless they are only hosting a single site that they know doesn't need it. Most likely LiquidWeb does have it enabled, but the VPS owner compiled PHP without it. I think the best thing to do here is to ask them to enable it, along with any other PHP core features they may have disabled. Though since your installer didn't report anything else, iconv may be all you need. I don't think ProcessWire uses iconv() anywhere other than the pageName sanitizer, so if you don't want to wait on the host, you could always try modifying that line to an alternate solution. 

[Alex]

Thanks for the info on ICONV, the web host has enabled it so its working now.

cheers